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Britney Spears' conservatorship, Upper Midwest blizzard, Disney Plus Day: 5 things to know Friday

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Britney Spears' conservatorship could come to an end 

The next step in Britney Spears' conservatorship saga continues in a hearing Friday, with lawyers on both sides urging it be lifted immediately – for different reasons. Lawyers for the pop star and for her father, Jamie Spears, her recently-suspended conservator over the past 13 years, filed documents pressing Judge Brenda Penny that the arrangement should end, and quickly. Will the conservatorship indeed cease when all the parties once again assemble – some virtually – in a Los Angeles probate court before the judge Friday? No one is saying, but legal experts say several outcomes are possible, despite public pressure mounting since June. Britney Spears seems eager for the conservatorship's end, posting on Instagram Monday that this week "is gonna be very interesting for me."

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Wintry weather arrives: Blizzard could target Upper Midwest

Wintry precipitation from the first significant snowstorm of the season is expected to persist through Friday across portions of the Upper Midwest, forecasters say. In Fargo and Grand Forks, North Dakota, 3 to 6 inches of snow is expected through Friday. "Travel should be restricted to emergencies only," the National Weather Service said. "If you must travel, have a winter survival kit with you." Strong winds, potentially up to 60 mph, will lead to the potential for blizzard conditions. This will be the first measurable snow of the season in much of central and southern Minnesota, including the Twin Cities, northern Iowa and western Wisconsin, according to Weather.com. The snow should taper off by later on Friday, before another system, called an "Alberta Clipper,” will sweep into the northern Plains Saturday, and the western Great Lakes Saturday night, bringing more snow.

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The Cascade Range gets the first snowfall of the season
The first snow of the season was captured at Gold Creek Pond.
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Taylor Swift's re-recording of 'Red' offers 30 tracks, a 'feast' for fans

Swifties, "Red (Taylor's Version)" is finally here. The Grammy Award-winning artist dropped the re-recording of her 2021 album at midnight, reclaiming her artistic rights after the acrimonious sale of her original master recordings. The original 16 tracks from “Red” — and a few more from the album’s “Deluxe Version” — are meticulously reproduced, reviews Melissa Ruggieri for Paste BN. But the bigger occasion to celebrate is the 10 additional tracks, including a lyrically rich 10-minute version of “All Too Well.” The album has a full running time of two hours and 11 minutes and is "a feast for fans and an intriguing study of Swift’s lyrical deftness, even a decade ago," Ruggieri writes. 

U.S. Men's National Soccer Team faces Mexico in a World Cup qualifier game 

Can the U.S. men's national team complete the trifecta and get a third pivotal win this year against their main Concacaf rivals, Mexico? The two square off at Cincinnati's TQL Stadium on Friday in a World Cup qualifier.  Through six matches played, Mexico sits atop the Concacaf World Cup qualifying standings with 14 points. The U.S. is in second with 11 points, followed by Canada (10), Panama (8) and Costa Rica (6). The top three teams automatically qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, while the fourth-place team must compete in an inter-continental playoff. 

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Disney+ Day brings deals and promotions for subscribers 

Disney has declared Friday Disney+ day, and it is celebrating the streaming service with amazing promotions for new and existing subscribers. This includes special benefits for those visiting Disney theme parks, savings on merchandise and books, access to special NFTs and more. Plus, if you sign up now for Disney+, you can get your first month for $1.99. It's likely various updates and promotions will drop as the day goes on, so it's recommended that fans follow along with the Disney+ Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts on Friday for first looks at upcoming Disney+ movies and series. 

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